The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-08-24
A Romance Of Siberia.

The Odessa correspondent Of the ~
sant Her,si8 reports Siberian incidsui
narrated BY civil engineer Just return
ed from Central Asia, whore Ia n.d
spent tins list SIX years
Tie l4aIctonv oi i4isrtsisienss 10 t.iare
seslair PROVINCES va broken ~ az os.-
cslsionsl hunting expedition into >ibers.
On one Of these trapping expeditions.
which ineiadesi a Younger member Of
one of the Grand D'szi families, the par
ty ven one evening belated in pine
forest AZ some distance from the days
bivouac. They were utterly astray.
stentorian view-halloo brought to the az
sistanee and guidance Of the party
woodeutter-an old man Of sorle three
score years, with tangled locks, coarse
kartan and bark-swartEed feet. Under
the old mans guidance the party found
a rude hut. a charcoal fire and simple
cooSing utensils. The engineer noticed
that the Old woodcutter when unobserv-
ed. scanned his Lace rather a5tenavely.
Tie took quiet opportunity Of asking
the old man if be observed in him any
resemblance % some one he bad prsvi-
ously known
A yeTy strong resemblance, was the
reply We're you not some fifteen years
ago a stu,ient Of the R.cheieyski Gym
nsse in Odessa q
The engineer answered afirmativeiy.
And do You not remember Prof ---2''
Certainly he was a nan beloved by
every student in bis class. shall al
ways remember kindly the amiable and
learned professor who disappeared -
suddenly and mysteriously from Odessa.
But what 10 YOU know OF MIN ?"
The old woodcutter for the first time
smiled the heavy mustache and beard
had hidden the lines of the mouth in re-
pose. The young engineer h2d not for
gotten the peculiarly sal sweetness Of his
old Professors smile. The ragged and
picturesque woodcatter, and the former
learned Professor Of Sanscrit and Com
parative Philology were the same. The
Tsac1afs was, under the circumstances.
at once both pleasing and pain
ful TO my friend, to whose immediate and
anxious inquiries the Old man replied
sally
Au Gods viii. my boy ~ To the
sudlennsss and mystery Of ny disip-
pearince from odessa, the secret police
might have ex planned Nothing beyond
an uniounded suspicion OF disslifection %
our Little Father and a preposterous
charge Of disseminating a revolutionary
doctrine have sent me to this lifelong
banishment But / do not repine.
have sufficient philosophy left to apply
myself 10 the telling of pine trees with
the same zest as that with which | for
merly delighted to pursue knotty phil
illogical problem. Am | not wise in my
generation and old age? / am deprived
Of the sight and companionship of old
friends but God gives me health and a
portion Of contentment. Ny masters pay
me but few unkind words and ? roubles
per o,saseH My old Odessa pupils paid
me roubles an hour But what Of that
[ have sufficient. Some old memories
lraw tightly round the heart and give
me infinite pain. Then I swing my heavy
ldz with greater force and endeavor to
.Orget. 1t is 70 me a Joy 20 look upon the
still youthful face Of my old pupil but
10 not probe my heart, child. I ask you
not TO speak to me at parting. You were
always obedient. and YOU hear me. God
keep YOU 6iOod-by -
The old man would not allow my friend
.o convey any messages 70 relatives or
who, he said. had proba-
bly, forgotten his existence and he would
not disturb dead memories.
How many others are there ike the
professor--men, also, Of birth, breeding
and brilliant intellectual parts anguish
ing out their lives in the dreary wilds Of
Siberia for baseless suspicion? The re
lection Is saddening.